(bdztttf [No. LIII.] PLAN Of the GAZETTE of the UNITED STATES. (A NATIONAL PAPER.) Published at the Seat of the National Government. CONTAINING, I EARLY and authentic Accounts of the PROCEEDINGS of CONGRESS— its LAWS, ACTS, and RESOLUTIONS, communicated so as to Form an HISTORY of the TRANSACTIONS sos the NATIONAL LEGISLATURE.. 11. Impartial Sketches of the Debates of Congress. 111. ESSAYSon the great fubjefls of Government; also upon the national and heal Rights of the american citizens, as founded upon the National or State Conllitutjons ; also upon every other Subject, which may appear fuitablc for newfpaperdifcuflion. IV. A SERIES of PARAGRAPHS, calculated to catch the « living manners as they r i se," and to point the public attention to Obje&s that have an important reference to dome/lie, facial and public happiness. V. The Interests of the United States as conue&ed with their li terary Institutions —religiousand moral Obje&s—lmprovements in Science, Arts, EDUCATION and HUMANITY—their foreign Treaties, Alliances, Connexions, &c. VI. Every fpccies of INTELLIGENCE, which may affe&the commercial, agricultural, manufacturing, or political INTERESTS of the AMERICAN NATION. VII. A CHAIN of DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. VIII. A SERIES of FOREIGN ARTICLES of INTELLI GENCE. X. The STATE of the FUNDS—Courses of Exchange—Prices Current, &c. — CONDITIONS. i. Published every WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY. Theprice toSubfcribers (exclusive of poflage) THREE DOLLARS tr. annum. r 111. The fir(l femi-annual payment to be made in three months from the l ime cjfubjeribing, andfuture payments to be made ei'ery fix months. SUBSCRIPTIONS Will be receded in all the capital towns upon the Continent; also at No. 9, Maiden-Lane, near the Ofwcgo-Market,,New-York. To the PUBLIC. AT this important Crisis, the ideas that fill the mind, are preg nant with Events of the greatest magnitude—to strengthen and complete the UNION of the States—to extend and protetl their COMMERCE, under equal Treaties yet to be formed—to explore and arrange the NATIONAL FUNDS—to restore and cftablifh the PUBLIC CREDIT —and ALL under the aufpicesof an untri ed System of Government, will require the ENERGIES of the Patriotsand Sages of our Country—Hence the propriety of encreafng the Mediums of Knowlege and Information. AMERICA, from this period, begins a new Era in her nation al existence—"the world is ai.l before her" —The •wisdom and folly—the misery and prol'perity of the EMPIRES, STATES, and KINGDOMS, which have had their day upon the great Theatre of Time, and are now no more, suggest the mofl important Mementos—These, with the rapid series of Events, in which our own Country has been so c\ccply interested, have taught the enlightened Citizens of the* United States, that FREE DOM and GOVERNMENT—LIBERTY and LAWS, are inse parable. This Conviflion has led to the adoption of thr New Constituti on; for however, various the Sentiments, refpe&ing the ME RITS of this System, all good men are agreed in the neceflity thatexifts, of an EFFICIENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. A paper, therefore, eftablifhcd upon NATIONAL, INDE PENDENT, and IMPARTIAL PRINCIPLES—whi.h shall takeupthe premised Articles, upon a competent flan, it is prefumcd, will be highly interesting, and meet with public ap probation and patronage. The Editor of this Publication is determined to leave no avenue us informaton unexplored :—He solicits the afliftance of Perfbns of leisure and abilities—which, united with his own afliduity, he flatters himfelf will render the Gazette of the ynitcd States not unworthy general encouragement and is, with due refpeft, the public's humble servant. THE EDITOR. POSTSCRIPT. SIX Months have now elapsed Jirne this paper wa< upie red into exigence —how far theffirit of the plan has been exhibited, and adhered to, is vot jor the Editor to fay.—A generous and candid pub lic has awarded its approbation, by a fubfeription which is said to be more fxtenfive than ufyal on similar occaftons. —An acknowledge went of the favor is therefore due from the publisher.—The expence attending an undertaking of this kind is always great; in the prefer t inflance, it has not been counterbalanced by any of the customary receipts on account oj *dvertifeinents —the ohjeSl being an extenftve circulation, the Editor con ceiving that their insertion wonld have counteracted that part of his plan has never admitted any. This cons if it was nece/fary to bt j"BZ e Jlcd,u'ould point out the importance of punctuality on the part of the S u "jcribers— it appears to have been very generally attended to, as tht Payments have been unusually prompt. It is necessary to observe that the number of names which have honored the fubfo iption, (at the present time about 650,) is not fufjicient to defray the expence of the publication, and to afford the Editor a competer.. (upport, en a Juppoftjen that the whole jnovtd be collected.—Additiona\ Jubfcript ions are therefore solicited ; and when it is confide red, that thi paper is new in its conflruflion ; contains intelligence of the mofl inter tftii'g nature ; abounds with more originality than any other periodical fubhcution\ and, viewed as a mifeellany, is cheaper thar any maga ziie, regijler, £3c. it can not be doubted but that it will receive an ade quate patronage. In the present number, the publication of the fourvals of the Serntt » commenced. As there is no gallery 'to the Senate Chamber, ail tha be kfivzun of the proceedings of that Mofl Honorable branch of tht national Legislature,is from their Journals ; in this viewof the fubjeCt,h ufutyojedtkey will be interefiing to the public. The price of the Laws ana He Journals of the two Houses only, which will be given in the courft °J one year, amounts to more than the fubfeription. The Editor is determined to prcfecute the publication, upon its origi ,:ai Principles : He hopes to make it more interefiing, by tht commvm "]t ons oj his ingenious corrcfpondents : He Jolicits the aid oj every I ' -"' tf to faer.ee, freedom and government: And such fpeculaUons as 17 <1 friendly ofpe Tf o the peace, honor and prosperity of our riftng nctimi. be received with gratitude by the public's humbU servant JOHN FEW NO. is V. VV-Yo r» K. Q.7c'\'>- 14, 1789. WEDNESDAY, October 14, 1739. THE TABLE T.—No. LIII. " The difirc of knowledge, like the thirjl of riches incrcases with the acquisition of it." MANY philosophers have doubted whether learning, distributed among the great mafsof the people, contributes to the real liappinefs of so ciety. The iuquifitive mind of man can never be fatisfied with attainments in knowledge ; and eve ry new acquisition only encreafes his natural rest lessness of spirit. There is a plausibility in this mode ot reasoning ; but nevertheless it is salaci ous. Though it muiit be confelled that learning does not produce contentment, Hill it affords a source of fatisfacftion, which positively adds to the quantity of human happiness. It renders the mind active as well as contemplative. Its plea sures and pains become more numerous and in tenle. The happiness of an ignorant man can be called nothing uiore than an exemption from mi sery. But whether as individuals we should be more or less happy, as our understanding is more or less improved, yet as members of a community, the utility of men, may be generally said to be proportioned to their knowledge. This remark however admits of exceptions. Those men whose curiolity pushes them into vain researches of lite rature may arrive at great attainments and Itill be very useless members of the community. A spi rit of enquiry among a people will in time regu late itfelf, and the bulk of the citizens will fall into pursuits that are beneficial. The reason why demagogues in some of the antient govern ments blew up a flame in society so frequently was, that the mass of the people were uninformed. They could not distinguish the lioneft remon strances of a real patriot from the petulant cla mours of pretended ones. In the United States the inhabitants are less liable to be deceived, as there are so many men of information that the valueof characters can be fairly estimated. This diffufion of knowledge promises one of the best fafeguards as well as one of the brightell orna ments of our new government. There can be lit tle danger either of oppreflion or infurreiflion in a country where the inhabitants generally know how to read. The public opinion becomes so just and refpecflable that rulers durst not make op preflive laws, and the people wish not to violate such as are wife and salutary. It is a pleasing circumstance to observe legisla tors attempting to guard the liberties of their country by bills of rights, and checks and explana tions upon the constitution- Such precautions have no doubt a good effevfl. But all the political con ltitutions that the art of man can frame will ne ver perpetuate the freedom of an ignorant peo ple ; nor can any original defeats in a form of go vernment fubje